Tongue-support for wagons.



- No. 642,669. Patented Feb. 6, I900.

\ J. W. BETTENDORF.

TONGUE SUPPORT FOR WAGUNS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH WILLIAM BETTENDORF, OF DAVENPORT, IOWA.

TONGUE-SUPPORT FOR WAGONS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 642,669, dated February 6, 1900.

' Application filed May' 24, 1899.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH WILLIAM BET- TENDORF, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Davenport, in the county of Scott and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tongue- Supports for Wagons, of which the following is a'full, clear, and exact specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple form of detachable wagon-tonguesupport which is particularly adapted to metallic tongues and will maintain the same stationary in any-position to which they may be moved. This I accomplish by the means hereinafter fully described and as particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the rear end of a metallic tongue and a portion of the axle and bolster to which the support is connected. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section therethrough, taken on dotted line 2 2.

My invention can be applied to any wagontongue; but it is more particularly adapted for use in connection with an all-metal tongue A, substantially as shown. This tongue A has its rear end broadened and divided so as to form the rear extensions or bifurcations a a, and these extensions are preferably pivoted to and between the forwardly-extended ends 5 of the fifth-Wheel B by the transverse 'pintle-bolt 0. Near the rear ends of 'these bifurcations a they are connected by a crossbar 0, which reinforces the same and provides a support for the means to which the forward end of tongue-support is secured. The means referred to consist of the hangers D, each of which has a suitable attaching-plate that is bolted or otherwise secured to the under side of said bar 0 and has a depending arm (1, the lower end of which is divided and extended rearwardly to form bearing-lugs e, the inner adjacent surfaces of which are provided with open bearings for the trunnions of a cylindrical block E, substantially as shown.

Extending loosely through block E isa rod F, which extends longitudinally to the metallic bolster G, where the eye on its rear end is linked or pivoted in the eye of the eyebolt g, which latter passes through said bolster and is secured therein by.a suitable nut g or in any other suitable manner. Near its rear end the rod F is preferably provided with a suit- Serial No. 713,349. (No model.)

able collar, as shown in Fig. 2, or a suitable nut h, as shown in Fig. 1, and between this collar (or nut, as the case may be) and the block E, I surround said rod with a coil expansion-spring K. I

The center of movement of the rear end of rod F is preferably intersected by the same horizontally-disposed plane that comes midway between the upper andlower edges of the fifth-wheel and intersects the pivot of tongue A, whereas the centers of the trunnions of the block E are on a plane below the same. Thus when the tongue is raised the expansive pressure of the coil K is sufficient to maintain the tongue in any position in which it may be moved.

It will be observed that my improvements automatically adapt themselves to the requirements of the different positions to which the tongue may be moved. Thus the greater the elevation of the tongue the less will be the pressure required of the spring K to mainrain it in the desired raised position, and the lower the position of the tongue the greater the pressure required of the spring will be. By lowering the tongue until the forward end of the same touches the ground, the rod F can be raised so as to easily move the trun nions of the block E out of their open bearings. In order, however, to prevent the accidental displacement of this block from said bearing, I prefer to slant the entrance to the same slightly.

If desired, the relative positions of the bearing-lugs and the eye bolt g may be reversed; but I prefer the same arranged about as shown.

In Fig. l I show two of these tongue supports constructed as hereinbefore explained; but it is obvious that, if desired, but one only may be employed.

I do not wish to be confined to the special form of axle and bolster shown in the drawings, because it is evident that my improvements could be used with any suitable form of axle or wagon-bolster, either wooden or metallic, if desired.

What I claim as new is- 1. In a wagon-tongue support, the combination of a hanger mounted on said tongue, a block removably secured to said hanger, a rod rem ovably connected at one end to a fixed support, and having its other end extending through said block, and a spring bearing at one end against a fixed bearing, and at the other end against said block, substantially as set forth.

2. The'combination with a wagon-tongue, of a depending hanger secured thereto, said hanger being bifurcated and provided with bearings in said bifurcated portions, a perforated block removably supported in said bearings, a rod extending through said block and free to slide therein having its end connected to a fixed support on the Wagon, and a spring surrounding said rod and bearing at one end against a fixed bearing and at the other end against said block, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a wagon-tongue, the rear end of which is bifurcated and extends to the rear of the'pivot thereof, a crossbar connecting the rear portions of said hifurcations, and a hanger secured to and depending therefrom and having the lower end thereof provided with twin bearing-lugs having open bearings in their inner adjacent surfaces, a block having trunnions which are journaled in the said bearings, a rod moving freely through the same having its rear end pivoted to the bolster about on the same plane as the pivot of said tongue and a coil expansion-spring surrounding said rod between said bolster and block.

4. The combination with a wagon-tongue, the rear end of which is bifurcated and extends to the rear of the pivot of the same, a cross-bar connecting the rear portions of said bifurcations, and a hanger secured to and depending therefrom and having the lower end thereof provided with twin bearing-lugs having open bearings in their inner adjacent surfaces, a block having trunnions which are j ournaled in said bearing, a rod moving freely through the same the rear end of which is pivoted to the bolster on the same plane as the pivot of said tongue a collar on the rear portion of said rod, and a coil expansion-spring surrounding said rod between said collar and block.

JOSEPH WILLIAM BE'WIENDORF.

Vitnesses:

W. H. FORREST, HENRY BELLINGHA'USEN. 

